I simply don't get why people are panicking and leaving Twitter plus all the chatter from the left. The deal has not closed yet and there has been no proposed changes in policy, etc. If Elon comes in and makes drastic changes in moderation, etc. then people can make a choice to leave. I expect that the change of ownership will not drive much change -- as soon as Musk figures out that he needs to block out the voices of hate on both political extremes to have an effective operating social media platform then things will move along pretty much as they have today. It is more likely that Musk's future proposals on generating more revenue outside of advertising such as charging monthly fees for tiers of service, etc. will more likely upset users than change in content moderation.
If Musk "blocks out the voices of hate on both political extremes" he will betray his current stance. What he needs to do is, under each tweet, put a prominent button "Block this user and never see his tweets again". That's all. You consider it "hate" - you have a way not to see it. Without censoring it for everyone.
Indeed. And there is no monopoly there just because it is highly popular- (for others, I don/t use it though). These lefterrhoids are acting like Musk is taking over a government agency or something. There are no real barriers to setting up a Twitter-alternative for either the left or the right other than the usual cash and skills and the risk that it might not be popular, but, again, that is not the definition of monopoly. Also, these lefties have buddies in high places who have lots of cash, as in multi-billions, so they could have, and could still, make a better offer. So do that, or not. I think the terms of the deal require them, at this late stage, to give Elon one billion, if they accept a better offer. But, hey, bidness is bidness.
Musk with more truth. I read a lot on the political shift of the last decade. Really interesting info.
Let's see what Reuters has to say... Breakingviews: Elon Musk probably won’t buy Twitter https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/elon-musk-probably-wont-buy-twitter-2022-04-27/ Four years ago, Elon Musk vowed to set up a peanut brittle company to take on Warren Buffett’s iconic U.S. confectioner See’s Candies. Then he changed his mind. It wouldn't be surprising if Musk's $44 billion deal to buy social network Twitter went the same way. Sure, the Tesla boss was clearly serious about acquiring Twitter as of recently. The financing from Morgan Stanley is shored up. The agreement includes a fee of $1 billion that he – or Twitter – would have to pay if they renege on the contract. And Twitter’s lawyers even wedged in a so-called “specific performance” clause, which could theoretically force Musk to buy the company if he threatens to back out, though in practice this could probably be settled by adding to the break fee. There are good reasons for him to get cold feet. The biggest is Tesla. The electric-vehicle maker’s stock has fallen around a fifth since Musk first revealed his stake in Twitter, partly because Musk may sell shares to fund his new adventure. If Tesla’s stock bounces back – likely if the Twitter deal falls away – the $40 billion of recouped wealth would more than make up for the break fee. China is a major sticking point too. Tesla produces half of its vehicles there, as well as a quarter of its revenue. But Twitter is no friend to the People's Republic, most recently for defying Beijing in its handling of content related to Hong Kong protests. China could easily hold Tesla to ransom if a Musk-owned Twitter didn’t play ball. That’s uncomfortable for a self-professed “free speech absolutist.” In reality, Musk’s absolutism probably won't survive a Twitter deal anyway. European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton told the Financial Times this week that the company must police illegal or harmful content or risk being banned. In the United States, where regulators are less aggressive, other technology firms could effectively create the same threat. Apple, for example, gets to decide which apps appear in its influential store. One thing makes it easier for Musk to walk away before any of this becomes a problem: The market partly anticipates it already. Twitter’s stock is currently trading 11% below his offer price – a fairly wide spread for a deal with little antitrust pushback. Musk’s tweets criticizing some company actions – potentially flouting the merger agreement - already suggest he might be starting to lose interest. Most likely, Musk's attention will wander elsewhere. It wouldn't be the first time.